This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Various bearing configurations are known in the art for supporting a rotating element, such as a shaft, in situations where the shaft is subjected to radial and axial loads. In the field of power transmitting components, it is relatively common to employ tapered roller bearings to support a shaft in an axle assembly, a transfer case or a power take-off unit. While tapered roller bearings are well suited to handle relatively high axial loads, they are typically characterized with a relatively high rotational drag that is inherent in their design. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved bearing assembly that is configured to handle axial and radial loads.